Hank Finds an Egg
Author Rebecca Dudley brings “Hank” and his “storybook forest” to life by using photos of woodsy dioramas crafted and constructed in a way that is simply magical. The choice to create this story as a wordless picture book allows the reader to observe every detail of the photos and tell the story in his or her own way. As Hank finds an egg in the forest and cares for it until he can be assured of its safety, readers discover their freedom and creativity to tell this story in their own words.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
This book lets readers take the lead as they provide the words to accompany the pictures. The use of open-ended questions can prompt children to share personal connections they might be making. For example, adults can ask children what they would do if they found an egg like Hank did. How would they take care of the egg? Adults can allow children to touch and hold a hard-boiled egg. What words would children use to describe the egg? What would happen if the egg was not handled gently? Children could create their own drawings to tell their egg stories to others. Children may also enjoy taking plastic eggs outside and re-creating the story using props from nature.
In the beginning of the story, Hank tries to return the egg to the nest, but is not able to reach high enough. Often, little ones feel too small to accomplish what they would like to do. Adults can help children build independence and self-help skills by modeling problem solving. While looking at the pictures in this book, adults can "think out loud" for Hank and model this process. For example, when reading, adults can make comments such as, "I wonder what Hank could do to help get the egg back into the nest." or "I wonder what Hank can use to build his ladder."